What happened? After last week I expected an Italian win. Too many mistakes? Or didn't take Tonga seriously?

Too many mistakes, and the arrogance of not taking points when we had the occasions...In the end we scored four tries but two were disallowed (If you want to see the glass half full, these youngsters had the guts to try)

Didn't watch the full game, I'm pretty disappointed with the result. This team obviously lacks talent if compared to other Tier 1 teams atm, but there is still some work to be done and adjustments made, this team still has potential to tap into.

I wonder what they can pull out during the next 6N. Wales then Ireland at home, then Twickenham, then France in Rome and then Murrayfield at the end. That's a 3-2 home game this year. I think they can target Wales and France at home. Ireland are too tight atm but Wales are very unstable as a team, starting off this 6N, they could be a bit vulnerable and on an average day, and their attacking is limited. Italy can manage something against them. And then France is volatile as ever, and Italy has been able to make them doubt lately and lose their momentum.

You Italian guys have any projections for your team about the upcoming 6N ? There's certainly potential there as we all know, but obviously Italy lacks quality from 1 to 15, and 1 to 23 even more. Surely out of all the games you feel France in Rome is the more achievable one, based on recent history alone ?

Didn’t see the whole ITA-WAL match (so I cannot properly comment on that; actually I left just before Italy fading away).Anyway these are my impressions:until I saw the match, Wales was pretty s.hit; no quality at all, and basically they had the referee on their side for the whole match.So did we really lost against a monster Wales, or we basically gifted the match to the opponent, as we sometimes do? (sorry I will not put comments on the other morons-infected threads

We are in the deep dark wood, and out of the deep dark wood the situation isn’t any better, with all these fierce beasts smelling the blood, waiting to go for our jugular.Not only is our participation to 6N at stake – it feels like our rugby nation is going to crumble as a whole, threatened by multiple factors (not least the very same pressures coming from our demanding and beloved sport).This is going to be our destiny, maybe. Then, let it be.What I know is that I will not lose faith, and I will support our National team stronger than ever, as this is the only think that unfortunately I can do to help the movement (as I wanted to sacrifice my oldest boy to the rugby cause – but he preferred swimming than taking the oval ball )

To cheer up the spirits – something to watch (nothing in particular – just the first things that pop up in my mind)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8bCsXtTbU – 2011, 12 March; win over France.As the match was to be played in Rome, during the period of on 150th Italian Unification celebrations (17 March 1861 – 17 March 2011) I picked up an idea circulating on the web (ie that Italy should play the game on a special jersey – a red one; as this was the color of the shirts the Garibaldini wear during the Expedition of the Thousand and I actualy send an email to FIR asking to do so. They replied to me! They said it was a great idea but that unfortunately could not be enforced due to timing/sponsors issues…what a pity

Then three more videos – first three that came to my mind, as an encouragement for the future.

We are in the deep dark wood, and out of the deep dark wood the situation isn’t any better, with all these fierce beasts smelling the blood, waiting to go for our jugular.Not only is our participation to 6N at stake – it feels like our rugby nation is going to crumble as a whole, threatened by multiple factors (not least the very same pressures coming from our demanding and beloved sport).This is going to be our destiny, maybe. Then, let it be.What I know is that I will not lose faith, and I will support our National team stronger than ever, as this is the only think that unfortunately I can do to help the movement (as I wanted to sacrifice my oldest boy to the rugby cause – but he preferred swimming than taking the oval ball )

To cheer up the spirits – something to watch (nothing in particular – just the first things that pop up in my mind)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8bCsXtTbU – 2011, 12 March; win over France.As the match was to be played in Rome, during the period of on 150th Italian Unification celebrations (17 March 1861 – 17 March 2011) I picked up an idea circulating on the web (ie that Italy should play the game on a special jersey – a red one; as this was the color of the shirts the Garibaldini wear during the Expedition of the Thousand and I actualy send an email to FIR asking to do so. They replied to me! They said it was a great idea but that unfortunately could not be enforced due to timing/sponsors issues…what a pity

Then three more videos – first three that came to my mind, as an encouragement for the future.

We are in the deep dark wood, and out of the deep dark wood the situation isn’t any better, with all these fierce beasts smelling the blood, waiting to go for our jugular.Not only is our participation to 6N at stake – it feels like our rugby nation is going to crumble as a whole, threatened by multiple factors (not least the very same pressures coming from our demanding and beloved sport).This is going to be our destiny, maybe. Then, let it be.What I know is that I will not lose faith, and I will support our National team stronger than ever, as this is the only think that unfortunately I can do to help the movement (as I wanted to sacrifice my oldest boy to the rugby cause – but he preferred swimming than taking the oval ball )

To cheer up the spirits – something to watch (nothing in particular – just the first things that pop up in my mind)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8bCsXtTbU – 2011, 12 March; win over France.As the match was to be played in Rome, during the period of on 150th Italian Unification celebrations (17 March 1861 – 17 March 2011) I picked up an idea circulating on the web (ie that Italy should play the game on a special jersey – a red one; as this was the color of the shirts the Garibaldini wear during the Expedition of the Thousand and I actualy send an email to FIR asking to do so. They replied to me! They said it was a great idea but that unfortunately could not be enforced due to timing/sponsors issues…what a pity

Then three more videos – first three that came to my mind, as an encouragement for the future.

The comment that comes to mind ultimately is: things didn't go as the fairytale would've written it.Italians showing great passion and talent early on in the tournament, pick up a few encouraging wins on the way as displayed above this comment, just around 2009 a sort of coming together of a worthy generation led by Sergio Parisse, victories over France etc...

the fairy tale would've said: "and out of this courageous generation, the nation now flourishing with encouraging talent inspired by their elders...something something..." - and you'd see a 'logical' progression from 2000 to 2009-13 upwards, but the 'logic' in some cases has nothing to do with the actual tangible problems of an era.Didn't happen how it'd been hoped for.

not sure how Italian Rugby picks up again from here on out. They would need reforms and major fundamental changes and subsidizing they probably aren't willing to concede half of... At least they'll stop beating France in Rome for sure now.Uhm...that's, "for sure". With quotes.